Lakers reportedly receive permission to interview several coaching candidates

The Lakers have taken another significant step in their search for a new head coach.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Wednesday that the Lakers secured permission to interview several assistants for their head coaching opening, including: Denver’s David Adelman, New Orleans’ James Borrego, Boston’s Sam Cassell, Minnesota’s Micah Nori and Miami’s Chris Quinn.

This comes on the heels of Monday’s ESPN report that the Lakers’ initial focus will be on assistants and former NBA head coaches who they aren’t as familiar with.

The report added that the Lakers’ coaching search is “expected to proceed in stages with this first wave … a period of talking to coaches with whom the Lakers have more history, followed by a whittling of the list to a final round of candidates.”

The Lakers are also expected to interview Golden State Warriors assistant Kenny Atkinson, who was a finalist for their head coaching vacancy two offseasons ago that was filled by Darvin Ham, and ESPN analyst/broadcaster JJ Redick, who played 15 seasons in the NBA. The Lakers also have interest in Clippers head coach Ty Lue, who is still under contract with the Clippers.

Adelman, the son of Hall of Famer Rick Adelman, is the lead assistant coach for the defending NBA champions and has been on Coach Michael Malone’s staff since the 2017-18 season. He’s been an NBA assistant coach since joining the Minnesota Timberwolves as a player development coach in 2011-12 under his father for his first NBA job.

Borrego is the Pelicans’ lead assistant under coach Willie Green after being the Charlotte Hornets’ head coach from 2018-22. He was a San Antonio Spurs assistant coach under longtime head coach Gregg Popovich from 2003-10 and 2015-18. Borrego was also a Pelicans’ (known then as the New Orleans Hornets) assistant from 2010-12 and Orlando Magic assistant from 2012-15, including being the Magic’s interim head coach for the final 30 games of the 2014-15 season following Jacque Vaughn’s firing.

Cassell, who played in the NBA for 15 seasons (1993-2008), is currently an assistant under Celtics’ head coach Joe Mazzulla. He’s also been an assistant coach for the Washington Wizards (2009-14), Clippers (2014-20) and Philadelphia 76ers (2020-23) since his retirement as a player.

Nori has been the Timberwolves’ lead assistant under head coach Chris Finch the last three seasons. He’s also been an assistant for the Toronto Raptors (2009-13), Sacramento Kings (2013-15), Nuggets (2015-18) and Detroit Pistons (2018-21). Nori has had increased responsibilities during the Timberwolves’ ongoing second-round playoff series against the Nuggets. He’s been patrolling the sidelines since Finch suffered a right patellar tendon injury that required surgery, forcing Finch to be seated during games.

Quinn, who played in the NBA from 2006-11 and 2012-13, has spent his entire NBA coaching career with the Heat under longtime head coach Erik Spoelstra. He started off as a player development coach in 2014 and has played a significant role in the Heat’s heralded player development system. Quinn is the longest-tenured assistant on Spoelstra’s staff.

The Lakers fired Ham on May 3 after just two seasons at the helm after an up-and-down 2023-24 season. Ham finished his Lakers tenure with a 90-74 regular-season record and a 9-12 playoff record, with the Lakers making the postseason in both seasons.

The Nuggets swept the Lakers in last season’s Western Conference finals and the Lakers were once again knocked out of the playoffs by the Nuggets in five games in a first-round playoff series last month.